Working in Crises and Conflict

Women receive pre-packaged food rations from the Food for Peace program

USAID

Among the Sahelian countries, only Burkina Faso is projected to experience a reduction in the number of food-insecure and malnourished individuals in 2014. The U.N. estimates that 1.3 million people may face food insecurity in Burkina Faso, a drop from 1.8 million in 2013.

The decrease is attributed to efforts by the Government of Burkina Faso, with complementary support from humanitarian actors. However, malnutrition prevalence remains high in rural areas, according to the U.N. As of May 2014, Burkina Faso continued to host more than 34,000 Malian refugees, the majority of whom reside in food-insecure northern regions, where already-scarce host community resources are strained by the presence of additional families.

Given the complex challenges, in fiscal year 2014, USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, supported agricultural, livelihood, and nutrition interventions, including strengthening the capacity of local health staff to manage acute malnutrition, facilitating community access to quality cereal seeds and providing small livestock training on animal management.

In addition, USAID’s Food for Peace office partners with the World Food Program to provide emergency food assistance in the form of commodities and cash resources to the most vulnerable households in the country.